COVID-19 Hits State Psychiatric Hospitals

WESTLAND, MI – The Michigan Department of Health and Humans Services (MDHHS) today announced three cases of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) among patients at its Center for Forensic Psychiatry in Saline and Walter Reuther Psychiatric Hospital in Westland.

“Our primary focus is the health and safety of our staff and the patients at our state hospitals,” said MDHHS Director Robert Gordon. “We treat the spread of COVID-19 with the greatest seriousness and are taking many steps to address it.”

Two of the positive cases are patients at Walter Reuther and one is at the Center for Forensic Psychiatry. In addition, three staff members at Walter Reuther have tested positive for COVID-19.

Several weeks ago, isolation units were equipped in each of the state’s five psychiatric hospitals. Additional cleaning measures have been undertaken at the facilities and staff and patients have been monitored closely for COVID-19 symptoms for the last two weeks. The hospital also stopped allowing visitors at the hospitals two weeks ago.

All State of Michigan psychiatric hospitals adhere to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines in regard to COVID-19.

No additional information will be provided about the patients or staff who tested positive.